Intriguing orange
butterfly love on a leaf—
October surprise!
From a distance, I first thought I was looking at one large orange butterfly on a wax myrtle tree branch. But when I came closer with the camera zoom lens, I suddenly realized there were two butterflies intertwined.
These two lovers are Gulf Fritillary butterflies. In the photo above, the lighter colored female hangs onto a leaf while the bright orange male dangles in a precarious, provocative position beneath her.
Ah…the glorious thrill of love!
Without warning, he opens his wings, she loses her grasp on the leaf, and they fly off together rather clumsily (still connected). Due to technical difficulties, they don’t fly that far before she reaches out and grabs onto another leaf for support. Why is he making things so difficult?!

There is definitely a special sort of October autumn ‘spring’ going on here in San Antonio, Texas!

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About Mary Strong-Spaid

You can find me any time
wandering around in my own mind
gathering thoughts.

Spectacular captures! It feels like autumn in Vancouver, Canada. The leaves have turned and the rains have returned. I love this mellow time. I thought of this quote when I came upon your post: “Butterflies are self propelled flowers.” Robert A. Heinlein.

Thanks Sue! The weather is finally starting to get a little cooler here. Don’t see as many butterflies anymore, but people have seen a few skunks wandering around in the evening. Don’t want to startle one of those creatures, that’s for sure!

Thank you (I just saw your comment)!
2018 started out with a blast of cold, cold air (I don’t know where the butterflies went)!
I have been busy outside for the past couple of days, trying to make sure my plants don’t freeze to death. They need frost blankets over them at night for protection (when it’s 20 degrees F), and then they need to breathe during the day (when it’s 50 or 60 degrees F), so I take the frost blankets off. So it’s on and off–and then on and off again. It’s time consuming but (finally), I think tonight is the last freezing cold night for awhile. Many of the plants in San Antonio, Texas aren’t made for this kind of cold. Sigh. I know if I don’t keep my plants warm enough–in the spring, there will be no leaves in my yard for the butterflies to hang onto, and no flowers for the hungry bees and hummingbirds.